Adyen is no longer developing the Classic API integration
This page is for the Classic API (/authorise) integration, which we no longer accept new integrations with.
We strongly recommend switching to the newer Tokenization integration.
A recurring contract is a set of one or more recurring payment details linked to a unique shopper on your merchant account. The contract is identified by the shopperReference and merchantAccount fields specified as a part of the payment session, for Hosted Payment Pages or the payment request for Classic API.
The recurring details each have a unique 16-character reference string called the recurringDetailReference. A recurring detail reference can be used in place of the actual payment details to submit a payment to the system.
Tokens from a third party
If you want to authorise payments with details not tokenized with Adyen, see Authorise using details stored with a third party.
You can choose to create either of the recurring contracts:
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Shopper present transactions (One-click payments, Card on File): In this type of transaction, the shopper needs to enter the CVC code for the transaction to get through. This can be done online or at the store by the shopper depending on the merchant, also referred as one-click payments. One-click functionality gives the shopper the option to store their payment details with the merchant, within the Adyen environment. The shopper makes this choice during their first payment by selecting a checkbox. One-click has the advantage of ensuring full card authorisation takes place for each payment, including card security code checks and 3D Secure, if applicable, with the potential disadvantage that the shopper must be present for all payments to supply their card's security code (CVC/CVV).
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Shopper not present transactions (Subscription, Card on File): In this type of transaction the shopper allows the merchant to deduct the said amount using shopper's bank account or credit card at the agreed timeframe. You can store the shopper's details within the Adyen environment, or with a third party. This refers to as recurring transactions which do not need the card's security code for subsequent payments.
The default recurring behavior is for recurring contracts to be established and used within a single merchant account. However, your account can be configured to allow you to use stored details across all merchant accounts associated with your company account. Contact Support Team if you want to have this feature enabled on your account.
Supported payment methods
For most payment methods the recurring payment is processed using the same payment method as the initial payment. We explain some specific payment method related exceptions below.
Notify your shoppers that you use their details for recurring payments. We recommend adding a note explaining this on your website.
For a list of supported payment methods, see the Payment methods.